Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Elista

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Elista: $935 and $950 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Elista
Learn more

Elista Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Elista

🇷🇺 Russia

$950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Elista

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Elista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $950 in Elista, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Elista $950

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,565 in Elista, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Elista $1,565

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,180 in Elista, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Elista $2,180

Chiang Mai and Elista have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Elista are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Elista 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$6.67 ₽547

-68.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$48.36 ₽3,964

-61.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$6.61 ₽541

-15.28%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.84 ₽233

-41.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ฿21.75

$1.02 ₽83.6

-36.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.59 ₽48.48

-49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$1.18 ₽97.1

96.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.84 ₽151

99.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.06 ₽87.1

90.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.56 ₽45.90

151.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$1.17 ₽95.8

18.80%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$1.48 ₽121

60.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$7.72 ₽632

113.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$4.81 ₽394

-44.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$11.89 ₽974

-24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.28 ₽105

87.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.50 ₽123

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.51 ₽123

9.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$2.61 ₽214

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$0.78 ₽64.3

58.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$0.47 ₽38.16

131.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$0.39 ₽31.77

94.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.67 ₽54.5

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.91 ₽239

41.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$9.41 ₽771

90.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.09 ₽89.3

48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.92 ₽157

46.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.53 ₽43.23

75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$26.79 ₽2,196

97.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$2.45 ₽201

-51.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.37 ₽30.64

-54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.62 ₽297

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$0.87 ₽71.7

68.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$27.0K ₽2.2M

-22.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$32.0K ₽2.6M

-17.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$62.6 ฿2,103

$87.4 ₽7,165

-28.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.60 ฿390

$6.56 ₽537

76.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$8.08 ₽662

151.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$36.35 ₽2,979

4.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$24.57 ₽2,014

-84.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$4.24 ₽348

53.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$727 ฿24.4K

$336 ₽27.6K

116.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$6,432 ₽527.2K

157.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$89.6 ₽7,345

-40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$54.9 ₽4,500

-54.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$56.0 ₽4,588

61.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$115 ₽9,408

-37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$498 ₽40.8K

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$320 ₽26.2K

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$847 ₽69.4K

24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$658 ₽54.0K

0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,314 ₽189.7K

4.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,320 ₽108.2K

21.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$365 ₽29.9K

62.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.33

-73.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Elista: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Elista

$320 33.7% 3.3% $10

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Elista

$185 19.5% 21.8% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Elista

$142 14.9% 31% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Elista

$102 10.7% 8% $7.6

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Elista

$123 13% 61% $47

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Elista

$33 3.5% 43.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Elista

$45 4.7% 11.9% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $498 in Elista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $48 in Elista. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Elista – so Elista wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Elista

🕒 Local time

06:07 6:07 AM

02:07 2:07 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

103,219

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 RUB = 1.22 USD

100 RUB = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 81.97 RUB (100 RUB = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 92.27 RUB (100 RUB = 1.08 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Elista 5,820 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Elista

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Elista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,426 in Elista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $498 in Elista. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $48 in Elista. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Elista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $950 in Elista. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $950 in Elista. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.